


Ranma 1/2 Novelette: Ryoga's Revenge!

by TowerofBabel



Category: Ranma 1/2
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-05 23:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19050763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TowerofBabel/pseuds/TowerofBabel
Summary: When a love potion doesn't work, designed by Gosunkugi, and Ranma mocks Ryoga for attempting such a thing, Ryoga storms off and runs into Mousse. Together, they team-up, to finally teach Ranma a lesson he will never forget! A lesson that will test Ranma's very mettle to survive and protect Akane, against a super-super-new-technique that only Ryoga and Mousse could come up with, egos aside.





	1. Owner of a Lonely Heart

Akane Tendo was never shy in front of him. And who would be? He was a small, black pot-belly piglet - an _animal_ \- who couldn't talk; her pet named _P-Chan_.

But oh, he was much, _much_ more.

Cursed in body only - doused with warm or hot water, he would emerge as his human self - he still had all the teenage urges and desires as any other human.

He was Ryoga Hibiki, and he was in love with Akane Tendo. Third and youngest sister of Soun Tendo's three daughters.

There was only one problem. Akane was engaged to Ranma Saotome, his sworn rival. A freeloader staying with the Tendo's along with his father. As they were also engaged, so it was _allowed_. Also cursed, Ranma and his father had their _own_ "curses"to contend with.

When doused with cold water Ranma changed into a buxom, young girl, while his father changed into a giant Panda. Each visited Jusenkyo, a so-called secluded group of springs in China. Problem was, a shop in that same valley was selling maps to the springs to visitors, so it wasn't so secret. Signs were erected around the springs saying " _No Swimming Or Be Cursed!_ " but unfortunately so many people found themselves taking "dives" into them.

Ryoga had been cursed when he fell into the spring of _Drowned Piglet_ after an altercation with Ranma at Jusenkyo, at a cliff dwelling overlooking the springs. On that day, his life changed forever, and he was nearly _eaten_ by the caretaker of the springs and boiled alive when he thought _he_ as a piglet was food. After Ryoga managed to change back, he knew he had keep from getting wet for then on. But that was a struggle of its own accord. For when he was doused with cold water, he would change. And it was difficult to avoid all aspects of cold water, especially when it rained.

But being a pot-belly piglet _did_ , sometimes, have its perks. For not even Ranma got to see what he saw of Akane on an almost repeated basis. She thought he was just a pig, that P-Chan was merely a dumb animal. Well, she thought wrong. And despite it being a secret lust, he enjoyed seeing her naked.

He was a guy, after all.

And yet, he was trapped in the body of an animal that wasn't truly his, once belonging to a long dead piglet that had drowned in the spring he had fallen into. It was like watching things through the eyes of another person. But even though he was in the body of a pig, he was still human inside.

And _loved_.

And _he_ loved Akane Tendo.

Most recently, Akane and Ranma had had a vicious argument that ended up with Ranma incapacitated for a while when Akane delivered a god-awful, swift kick to his crotch. Ryoga relished that. After all, despite Ranma's mocking humor at times, his arrogance was much to be desired. And Ranma knew the things that he said to her would most assuredly insult her. But he never did think about the consequences.

Hence Ranma's punishment.

But not to say there weren't some drawbacks to being Akane's pet. She would roll over on him in bed and nearly crush him in one of her dream fits. He'd always managed to worm his way out from underneath her, but it was a struggle and he'd have to sleep on the floor. The floor was better than the "bed of death" as he called it, whenever he slept with Akane as _P-Chan_.

Akane undressed in front of him, had a shower, and then dressed again in her school uniform. If he wasn't dead set against it, he'd do _something_ when he was alone to release all his sexual tension.

When Ranma and Akane left for school, he left as well and found himself _someplace_ to revert back to his human self. But he found himself following the pair all the way to their school afterwards. Of course, he would never go inside the grounds, he didn't want to be noticed as he was known to Akane's friends. Then he'd have to explain _why_ he was there. And he didn't want that burden.

He felt like he was the third wheel in a relationship that only had room for two. Akane thought of him as a friend, but he wished she thought more of him like a suitor. He could offer much more to her than Ranma ever could, and Ranma and _he_ were rivals for her love. Although Ranma acted like he didn't care for her.

The school yard was empty now, all the students entered the building. And he looked through the closed gates of the outer encounter, his hands on the bars of the gate. It was symbolic really, as he often felt like a prisoner to his love.

"You'd better get inside or you'll have to clean up the classroom after school," a voice said behind him.

Ryoga turned his head and looked at a very thin, boney-faced student with dark circles around his eyes. He knew this guy, but he couldn't recall his name at the moment.

Then it came to him. "Gosunkugi, right?" _Yes_ , he thought. _The weird one_. Not one of Akane's friends per sa, but familiar to her nonetheless. And a student at this school judging by his uniform. He was known to often dabble in "magic potions" and dark black hexes, of that kind of sort.

"You're one of Akane's friends, right? Ryoga Hibiki."

Ryoga nodded. He could recall at one time Gosunkugi had a _thing_ for Akane, but he didn't know how _interested_ he was in her. But this guy was so unappealing, Akane could never be interested in him. But why then, did he suddenly feel angry when he looked at Gosunkugi. Was it because he got to spend more time with Akane than he did? At school.

Being P-Chan didn't count.

"That's right," Gosunkugi said, "you don't go to school. You dropped out."

Ryoga had gone to school, he was even in the same grade school as Ranma. But he decided to pursue Ranma across _the world_ instead, in revenge for his transgressions. Always stealing his lunch. At the time, that vengeance fed his emotions. He seriously wanted to pay Ranma back, but after everything that had happened, and becoming cursed - he began to regret it.

"What school did you go to?" Gosunkugi continued.

Gosunkugi didn't seem worried he was late for school. Ryoga didn't answer the kid's question. Instead he said, "None of your business. And yes, I dropped out. I had more important things to do."

"Wish I could." Gosunkugi sighed. "But my parents would kill me." Then he chuckled. "Not to say I couldn't skip a grade. I'm more intelligent than half the school body."

"Then why don't you?"

"Confidence. Other students would pick on me."

"There's things for that. It's called martial arts. Build your confidence instead of allowing your lack of self esteem to rule your life."

Gosunkugi mused for a moment. "Do girls like that? Akane takes martial arts."

That fueled Ryoga's anger towards this guy. He clenched a fist at his side. "You like Akane Tendo? How much?!" he growled.

Gosunkugi held up his hands in defense. "Little, very little, I promise," he stuttered. "I know you like her. Besides, a cute girl like Akane would never be interested in someone like me."

Ryoga's anger subsided. Knowing Gosunkugi admitted Akane would never be interested in him made Ryoga feel better. "True," he said. "And Akane's engaged to Ranma…" He let the thought trail off, but he fumed about it silently.

"Not to say, _you_ don't have options with her."

"Few and unfavorable ones," Ryoga admitted. "She only considers me a friend."

"It doesn't have to be, you know." Gosunkugi smirked. "Ever try a love potion?"

The idea of ludicrous, but it got Ryoga's attention nonetheless. Gosunkugi did mix up "magic potions", did he really have such of thing? "What sort of love potion? Like that old song?"

"Ever better. I'm a self-taught chemist. Sounds sorta cliché, I know…but a true man wants a woman to fall in love with him naturally." Gosunkugi then sighed, shoulders slumped. "But guys like us don't have that option. We wander about hoping love strikes, but it never does. So we _make love happen_."

Yes, every guy wants a woman to fall in love with him naturally. But the latter was also true, some guys do have more luck than others. They're better looking, have more charisma, or money…or have an arranged engagement by their fathers.

"Mix it," he demanded. "How long will it take?"

Gosunkugi was momentarily slack-jawed. "I…I don't know. Tomorrow, I guess?"

"How _much_ will it cost me?"

"Um, I haven't considered a price yet. But for the ingredients, labor and distribution…" Ryoga growled angrily. "Okay, it'll be free. Just meet me back here tomorrow morning and I'll have it."

"Good," Ryoga said. He didn't often do it, but sometimes a bully-mentality and a little manipulation did get desired results, especially towards someone who was susceptible to it like Gosunkugi.

And by this time tomorrow, he'll have _everything_ he ever wanted. So it works.

_To be continued…_

 


	2. The Love Potion Mistake

Three days later, Ryoga returned back to Akane's school, or rather he managed to find himself there after getting lost in Nermia. His bad sense of direction had struck again. But he never let it get him down because he always seemed to find his way to where he was going, no matter the odds. And if fate had forced him on a detour, then so be it. The _Luck Gods_ had finally shown him the way back. And he thanked them.

Surprisingly enough, Gosunkugi was waiting for him at the exact spot they had chosen to meet three days prior. The kid looked just as tired and _weird_ as he had then. Gosunkugi held something small in his hand when Ryoga arrived at the school enclosure gate. It was a vial of sorts. Was this the _love potion_?

Ryoga straightened to his full height and quickly thought of an excuse of why he was late. But would it make any difference? He was known around town as the _Lost Boy_ because he often took wrong turns despite being told exactly where to go. But if Gosunkugi didn't mention anything, neither would he.

"Is that it?" Ryoga said, pointing to the vial in Gosunkugi's hand.

"Where have you been? I've been here _three days_!"

"Something came up," he lied.

Gosunkugi smirked thinly. "Did you get lost again? Maybe you should buy a compass."

Ryoga growled, more to hide embarrassment than anger. "I got _lost_ , so sue me!"

Gosunkugi chuckled. "Anyway, here's the love potion." He handed Ryoga the small vial with pink liquid. Were the chemicals inclusive in its make-up making it that color or was it symbolic? "Pour this into any food or drink and mix it. After Akane swallows it, the effects will be almost instantaneous. But, and I must emphasis this, you _must_ be the first person she looks at or disaster will strike."

"What sort of disaster?" Ryoga asked, as he handled the vial with forefinger and thumb in his left hand. "This isn't poison is it? It won't explode, or cause something _horrible_ to happen. Will it?"

Gosunkugi shook his head. "No, but the person who drinks it will fall head-over-heels in love with the first person he or she sees. It's a _love potion_ , and you want Akane to love you, right?"

Ryoga nodded. Even if won't be a natural love, he'lltake anything to beat Ranma. And if Akane loved _him_ , then that would be the ultimate victory over Ranma - one Ranma would never be able to overcome. He'd defeat Ranma without even needing to strike a single blow.

The hardest blow is, ultimately, is to the heart.

Ryoga smiled, looking at the vial. "That'll be easy," he said.

"Even with Ranma around?"

"I can take care of Ranma. He won't be a problem. I won't let him fowl up my plans."

Gosunkugi smirked. "You sound like a super-villain from a Manga."

Ryoga shrugged indifferently. "Well, Ranma and I _are_ rivals. We fight each other all the time." Then Ryoga smiled _like_ a super-villain with evil thoughts. "And Akane _will_ fall in love with me!"

"I've heard of people mixing things like this before with bad results," Gosunkugi said. "But _I_ know what I'm doing. It… _should_ work." Ryoga cocked an eyebrow at the word _should_. "Normally, a love potion enhances the true feelings of a person towards another. If they like you, they _really like you_. If they love you, they _really love you_ … Well, you get the idea, right?"

Ryoga nodded.

"But, I have to warn you. Like I said, her _true feelings_ for you will come out. What if she _hates you_? Could you handle that?"

Ryoga blinked concerned. "What? But… _why_ would she hate me?" He suddenly felt a deep depression inside him, as if, yes, what if Akane did really hate him, and she was only being his "friend" out of sympathy because he always _lost_ to Ranma when they fought? She had mentioned… _once_ , that she did only want to be his friends, _only friends_ , when he once fought Ranma in the school yard. He was attempting to perfect his _Shi Shi Hokodan_ (Lion Roar Shot) technique.

_Yes Ryoga, let's be friends…_

She had said, when he was at the bottom of a crater he had created with a single blast from his powerful new technique at the time. The crater itself a symbol of the depression he was expressing at the time, which then made him spiral further into the depths of despair. Friends? Let's be friends? He wanted more than to _let's_ _just be friends_. Why, for heaven's sake, couldn't Akane realize Ranma is just using her, that he has no _true interest_ in her.

This made him anger and he snorted and growled under his breath.

"Um, is _everything_ okay, Ryoga?"

Ryoga shook himself out his reverie and looked at Gosunkugi. "Yeah, everything's just perfect." He looked at the vial. "At long last, _I_ will be finally be the victory in our forever rival. And Ranma will run away."

"Whatever," Gosunkugi said. "Just don't tell Ranma I helped you out, or he'll hit me."

"I hate bullies," Ryoga said.

"So do I. That's why I do everything I can to try to avoid them." And Gosunkugi left.

Ryoga stood at the enclosure wall alone, and he smiled as his mind raced with so many warming thoughts of the life he and Akane would at last start leading _together_ after she drank the love potion.

How many kids would they have? Would _he_ take over the Tendo Dojo Training Hall after Ranma and his father were sent packing? He bet he could get money flowing into the house after signing up students for _his_ Anything Goes Martial Arts style.

Hours past as he stood there _thinking_ warm thoughts holding the vial in his hands, when suddenly the school bells rang out to end the school day. As watched students shuffle out of the main gate, they gave him strange looks, many of them probably wondering why he was there and just standing there, looking like some sort of statue.

"Oh, hey man," Ranma said, walking out with Akane with book bags in hand. "Long time no see," he lied. It was obvious he was protecting Ryoga's secret as _P-Chan_. And P-Chan had been staying at the Tendo household for sometime, weeks in fact.

"Yeah, Ryoga, you've been gone a long time," Akane remarked.

"True, but I bet he's been eating like a pig." Ranma grinned mockingly.

Ryoga sneered. Ranma knew Ryoga _was_ P-Chan, but Akane didn't. So every chance Ranma got, he'd tease Ryoga about it. And every time it burned Ryoga inside. Ranma knew how to push his buttons.

But he knew he'd have the last laugh. So he let the insult go for the moment.

"I've been traveling," he lied.

Ranma smirked. "Yeah…sure. So, if you've been on a trip, where's Akane's present?"

Ryoga gasped slightly. "Akane's… _present_?"

"Yeah. You _always_ bring back something for her on your travels. What, being stingy this time?" Ranma laughed.

Ranma was right. _He_ always brought back something for Akane on his travels. _Oh, no…_

He looked into Akane's eyes, she could tell he was lying. He had to think _fast_!

"What's that in your hand, eh?" Ranma commented, pointing at the vial of liquid. "What is it?"

Ryoga quickly hid it behind his back, but Ranma with his awesome quickness snatched it and brought it forward. He twirled it through his left hand fingers and then looked at in in the sunlight with finger and thumb. "It's… _pink_. What is it, some sort of woman's soap cleaner, or sumthin'? You bought liquid soap?" With one sniff, Ranma then said, "Pink soap has a lavender scent, doesn't it? I smell nuthin'?"

Ranma was about to pop off the vial rubber stopper when Ryoga shouted, " _Stop!_ Don't do that!" Then grabbed it back with his own swiftness. "That's none of your business, Ranma!"

"Secret bath soap, eh? Well, don't come around the Tendo Training Hall with 'secret liquid bath soap' for Akane. We don't like _secrets_."

"Hey!" Akane finally spoke up. Her voice a little angry. "Ryoga is invited to _my_ home any time he wants. You're a freeloader, Ranma!"

"We're _engaged_ , remember? Kinda negates the freeloader stigma."

"Maybe that'll change someday."

"And what the hell does that mean, eh?"

Ranma and Akane gazed at each other with hateful daggers in their eyes. Oh, no. Another argument, Ryoga thought. And _he_ was the instigator of it this time. All over a lie. But he couldn't tell the truth. Both of them were hot-heads, always over-sensitive on every issue that concerned them. Was it pride or ego, Ryoga didn't know, but something kept them together nonetheless. _Something_.

But once Akane swallowed the love potion, all that will stop, and she'll love _him_.

No more Ranma. It will only be Ryoga and Akane, forever.

He smiled at that thought. But at that was the moment, he let his guard down and Ranma quickly snatched the vial back. "So, tell _me_ what's in this _thing_?" he demanded, twirling the vial through loose fingers.

"Careful, you idiot!" Ryoga said, weaving back and forth, his arms out-stretched to catch the vial if dropped. "It's fragile."

"Then _tell_ me what this liquid is?"

"He doesn't have to, Ranma," Akane said. "If it's personal, leave it. Give it back to him!"

Oh great, now Akane thought he was keeping secrets from _her_. "Okay, okay. It's…water from…Jusenkyo," he lied.

Ranma juggled with the vial momentarily after Jusenkyo was mentioned, but caught it in hand. "What? Did you say water from Jusenkyo?" Ranma scrutinized it. "But it's… _pink_? What, did you get suckered by some merchant again?"

Ryoga sighed, he'd have to lie… _again_.

"During my travels, I went _back_ to Jusenkyo and gathered some water from one of the springs. Spring of _Drowned Man_. The guide told that that he put a drop of something into it, to preserve it, so the water didn't evaporate on my way back."

Ranma eyed him suspiciously. Ryoga nodded, only for Akane's sake. Ryoga hoped Ranma would see his subtle hint of deception and lay of questioning him about it, and ask later. Ryoga didn't want it to appear he was lying and have Akane question him about it.

And Akane knew Ryoga knew about Ranma's curse.

"Seriously?" Ranma said, his eyes widened.

"A cure?" Akane gasped surprised. She turned to Ryoga with awe. "Ryoga, you went all the way to Jusenkyo, all that way, all the way to China - for a cure for Ranma's curse?"

Ryoga blinked. "Ah," was all he could say.

And suddenly, Ranma popped off the stopper and downed the liquid in a single gulp.

" _NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_ " Ryoga shouted! "You _idiot_! What have you done?"

Ranma licked his lips. "Tastes kinda bitter," he said.

_To be continued…_

 


	3. Another Failure

The immediate implications of what Ranma had just done raced through Ryoga's mind. Why would Ranma do something like _that_? He could've lied, and the "Jusenkyo Water" could've been _any_ spring! Or it could've been _anything else_! Which it was, _the worse kind of anything else_!

A love potion that could ruin so many lives!

He knew what he had to do, he had to blind Ranma immediately! So he raced behind his rival and wrapped his hands across Ranma's eyes. "You idiot! You fool!" Ryoga chided him. "Why did you do that?!"

"Hey, let me go!" Ranma protested.

"Keep your eyes shut, you god-damn fool! Never open them again!"

Ranma reached up and tried to pry Ryoga's hands off him, or pull his arms down, but Ryoga would not relent. And used every ounce of strength to combat Ranma's attempts. "Never! I'm never letting go! Don't look at Akane. You can never look at her _ever_ again!"

"Ryoga, what's going on?" Akane demanded.

He looked into her eyes and saw the concern in them. To Akane, _he_ was acting irrationally to a threat she didn't know existed. But he had to, he didn't have any choice. If Ranma looked at her, then his "true feelings" would emerge. And it worried him. Did Ranma "like" her in a way Ranma was afraid to show publicly? This was the greatest threat to Ryoga's own love of Akane - that she would accept Ranma's love for her, if indeed Ranma did like her. So he couldn't allow Ranma to ever set eyes on her again. Never!

"It's, um, not what you think," Ryoga stuttered out. "A mistake was made. That wasn't Jusenkyo water Ranma just drank, it was something else entirely. Your friend Gosunkugi made it."

" _Gosunkugi_?" both Ranma and Akane said in unison.

Ranma's struggle against Ryoga temporarily subsided. "Damn it, Ryoga! What did I drink?" Ranma demanded. "And why can't I open my eyes?"

Ryoga swallowed hard. He couldn't hide the truth any longer. "A love potion of sorts, mixed together with a special blend of chemicals Gosunkugi concocted. It makes the drinker instantly fall in love with whomever they first see, _forever_!"

"Okay, I'm gonna kill you, Ryoga! I'm really, honestly, truly, gonna kill ya!" Ranma threatened. "This time, I really mean it! And I don't need my eyes to see to beat you to a bloody pulp!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to - "

"Who were you going to give the love potion to, Ryoga?" Akane asked.

Ryoga gasped. He couldn't say, "I was going to mix it into your food so you would fall in love with me," she he just stood there, his mouth agape, speechless.

But in that moment of distraction it was all Ranma needed to break away. But he kept his eyes closed. "Yeah, you idiot. Who were you gonna give that bitter love potion to, eh?" Ranma said.

He was caught and cornered like some caged animal, and he felt tears begin to form in his eyes. "Someone…someone…I care about," he stuttered out the words, the words coming out truthfully, but also forced, and tirelessly deceptive, so not to say _Akane_. Now he felt tears begin to roll down his cheeks involuntarily.

He managed to fowl things up royally. He vowed he wouldn't let Ranma fowl up his plans, but they had, nonetheless. They always did, somehow.

"Love doesn't come from a vial of chemicals, Ryoga," Akane said. "Love comes from the heart."

"Who knows what _else_ Gosunkugi put in this bitter stuff," Ranma growled, his teeth clenched with anger. "You know him, Akane, half the stuff he cooks up either doesn't work or explodes like TNT. I coulda just swallowed liquid explosives or poison, or some other stuff that's eating away at my stomach right now!"

"With your iron-clad stomach? Not likely," Akane said. "You can eat a bag of rocks and come out rosey."

"Except for your cooking, that is," Ranma retorted. "Every time I do, it's _like_ eating rocks."

"Hey, I try my best!" Akane replied angrily. "Cooking is hard!"

"Buy a cook book some time and actually _read_ the recipe and _follow_ it. You might actually learn something. Or ask Kusumi, she's the best cook around."

This was a completely different argument than the initial one they were having…and Ryoga looked from Ranma to Akane and back again wondering how the subject had radically changed. "Um, guys…back to the original issue, okay?" Ryoga said softly. "Gosunkugi's stuff doesn't work?"

Ranma nodded. "Most of the time. Sometimes he gets lucky," he said. "And with my luck, this might be one of _those_ times. Wonderful Ryoga, thank you very much! Now, I'll have to go through the rest of my life blind." Suddenly he grabbed his stomach. "Oh no, I feel something… _something big!_ It's coming up…churning my stomach from the insides. It's-it's _massive!_ It's -"

And all of a sudden, Ranma let out a huge belch that echoed for meters upon meters. Then he smiled.

"That's gross!" Akane chided.

Ranma then opened his eyes and began to chuckle.

"Ranma, your eyes!" Akane said. "Don't open them!" Ranma was looking directly at her.

Ranma stuck out his tongue playfully. "Why would I be attracted to a tomboy like you," he said, smiling. He then turned to Ryoga, and saw Ryoga's eyes widen with shock. "Chill man, I know all about it. Gosunkugi filled me in. Well actually, I overheard him telling others about it during lunch, and played on it. He said you had a _secret crush_ on someone, but the person hardly noticed you." He winked, knowing it was Akane. "So he cooked up this _love potion_ for ya. Problem is, and he was afraid to tell ya, it has a twenty-four potency time frame.

_And I was late three days_ , Ryoga thought. "So, you were…"

"I swallowed nothing but colored water, knowing full well it was harmless."

Ranma turned and smirked at Akane. "Maybe I should join the Drama Club. I could be a great thespian." Akane punched Ranma hard in the shoulder, and Ranma's smirk disappeared with the hurt. "Ow, that _hurt_!"

"You had me worried," Akane said.

Ranma rubbed his shoulder. "Relax Akane. Besides, from my understanding, you cant _drink_ Jusenkyo Water to cure you. You must swim in it. Let every pore of your body soak in it for the curse to be lifted, or vice verse. It has no effect internally. Well, that's what I heard, anyway."

Ryoga growled angrily. "You were mocking _me_!"

Ranma turned back to Ryoga. "Hey man, chill, will ya! Besides, I did ya a favor, you cheatin hound!"

"Cheating hound?" Ryoga sneered. "Fool! I wish it _was_ poison you drank!"

Ranma frowned, shook his head. "Not nice, man. I was just kidding. You really have no sense of humor. Go, get outta'ere… _Now_!"

"Fine, I'll go." He took one last glance at Akane, then turned back. "But you'll regret this! You'll regret mocking me severely!"

"Sticks and stones, Ryoga." Ranma readied himself into a defensive stance, his arms out front, fists clenched. "C'mon, I'll take ya on! You wanna fight _now_ , buddy? C'mon, let's go!"

Ryoga readied himself into a fighting stance, but Akane quickly got between them. She put her arms out, each hand an inch from either of their faces. "Cool it, you two! _Now_! No fighting!" she demanded.

"This isn't over, Ranma! Not by a long shot!"

"Bring it on, man. I welcome the challenge."

Ryoga swallowed. He looked at Akane, his anger dimming to say, "I, ah, gotta go…"

And then turned, and ran off down the street. Not with tears in his eyes, but with hate in his heart.

_I vow…I vow to kill you, Ranma! By any means necessary for this mockery!_

_To be continued…_

 


	4. Nothing But Trouble

Ryoga was absolutely furious as he walked down the street and fumed.

_How dare you embarrass me in front of Akane, Ranma!_

Was it part of his so-called _attraction and_ _charm_ that somehow kept them both together? Or was it the bad boy image that Akane liked more? Did Akane have a side to her that Ryoga didn't know about, even when he stayed with her at the Tendo household? No, she wouldn't be able to keep anything from him.

Ranma always seemed to get the upper hand, he knew, not by words but more with threats.

If Akane wasn't there, he'd fight Ranma without a doubt.

But Akane had gotten between them and that stopped all aggression. He could've just pushed her aside and attack Ranma. But he would never do that. She might get hit in their battle crossfire. And if Akane got hurt, it would be the worst possible thing imaginable!

They say if a bully is taunting you just walk away and it deflates his power. But Ranma was a bully of a different sort and his taunting never stopped, he was too arrogant to stop.

And as he walked away, he could _feel_ Ranma's smirk on him as he headed away from the pair.

He turned a corner and then stopped. And when his fury overwhelmed him, he punched a wall, a brick enclosure surrounding someone's residence, and made a sizable hole. It didn't hurt him, however, or his hand as he withdrew it. He was too strong for it to affect him. But it did leave a few scratches and a slight redness across his skin, for which he rubbed.

He looked through the hole and immediately the owner of the house started to scream at him. Immediately turning, he ran down the street not wanting a confrontation with the man.

_So what now?_ _What should I do?_

He had stormed off like some whiny baby. It seemed a cliché way to exit. Akane didn't want them to fight, and _he_ was the one that had backed down. And as he recalled the numerous times whenever Akane got involved, or got between them, he was _always_ the one that backed down. Not to avoid the fight, but to be respectful to Akane's wishes.

And that took courage, not cowardice. Or rather, it depended on the perspective of the individual.

The look in her eyes when she asked who the love potion was for haunted his thoughts.

Ranma knew of his love for Akane, it had basically been love at first sight. Some people say that love at first sight doesn't exist, but then the naysayers had never been lover, for his lover for Akane was truer than anything he had ever known. He loved Akane beyond life itself. And he knew it when they first met. He was _P-Chan_ at the time, and she had cradled him in her arms after a confrontation with Ranma, catching him from harm. She had told Ranma to back off, and he did. And he recalled he had been crying back then, too.

And at the moment, he felt like he wanted to go someplace and have a cry _now_.

With distracting thoughts, he went to turn a corner - and crashed into someone, knocking himself and the person down.

"Hey, watch where you're goin!"

Ryoga was surprised, it was Mousse.

He rubbed the back of his head, as did Mousse, and they both got to their feet together. He was just about to apologize when the white coated martial arts went off on a tirade.

"Fool! You weren't lookin where you were goin!"

"Neither were you," Ryoga replied with equal hostility.

A moment of silence met them as they locked icy glares, but Mousse was the first to sigh and back down. "I'm looking for Shampoo. Seen her 'round? She went on a delivery, but hasn't come back yet."

Ryoga shook his head. "Haven't seen her," he said. "Where was she delivering to?"

"I'll give you one guess." Mousse folded his arms across his chest.

Ryoga had no clue, but for some odd reason the look Mousse was giving him, gave him an obvious clue. Mousse hated Ranma just as much as he did. "Let me guess, the Tendo's?"

"Right, first time," Mousse said, "Raman and noodles, multiple orders. She's usually back quickly, especially when the restaurant is busy like today, the Cat Café. Shampoo's grandmother demanded she return to help. I seem to be useless as a waiter, always breaking things."

"So Cologne sent you out to find her?"

Mousse nodded, lowering his arms.

"Then why are you _here_ and not at the Tendo's?" Ryoga asked.

"I thought Shampoo may have stopped off at Ranma and Akane's school to say _Hello_ ," he said.

That got Ryoga's blood boiling mad. The mention of his rival's name made him so angry, especially after the humiliation Ranma had just caused him. " _Cheating hound_ , indeed," Ryoga recalled what Ranma jokingly had called him when he purposely lied about who the love potion was for. "Ranma pisses me off to no end!"

"Had another encounter with Ranma again, eh? What happened this time?"

"He humiliated me—that stupid jerk!" He recounted the events to Mousse. "He knows I have trouble lying to Akane, but he _made me_. Then he mocks me in front of her!"

"And you just… _ran away_?"

Ryoga snorted. "That was the greatest part of the humiliation. Akane got involved."

"Look, why not just tell her how you really feel?" Mousse said. "Are you 'fraid she'd reject you?"

"Case in point," Ryoga said. "Shampoo avoids you like the plague."

Mousse sighed, and then frowned. He adjusted his huge, round glasses. "She'll come around. I know she feels something for me. She's admitted such in the past, even showed her _love_."

"But she doesn't hate you?" Ryoga said.

"Hate is a very strong word."

"But she doesn't love you, either."

"Her vow to Ranma demands she take him as a husband, it's more of a cultural thing because he bested her in battle—even though I've admitted to Shampoo she means the world to me ever since we were kids. And no, Shampoo doesn't hate _or_ love me. Our relationship is somewhere in between."

"Like mine with Akane. She only thinks of me as a friend." Ryoga slumped his shoulders; he really wanted her to think of him of something much _more_ than that.

"So why don't we teach Ranma a lesson he won't soon forget?" Mousse offered.

"You mean like a team-up? We tried that, remember? It didn't turn out so well, 'cos your selfishness and stupid weapons almost got us _both_ killed. Being a team is acting as one, not two different parts."

Mousse nodded. "This time I'll be different," he said, smiling.

Ryoga could recall in vivid detail the last time Mousse and he teamed up.

They had had Ranma cornered, even ankle-cuffed him to a large bomb. But once again, Akane got involved. She had come wandering into the area, a neighboring park. Both he and Ranma had tried to tell her to leave because it wasn't safe – not mentioning the large sphere next to them, ankle-cuffed to Ranma, was Mousse's time bomb. When she wouldn't leave and Ranma and Akane got into one of their many heated arguments, she kicked the time bomb with such anger high into the air that it landed in the river canal that ran through Nerima. The heavy density of the water managed to suppress the explosion, so it didn't cause any damage to property. Unfortunately, Mousse had been hiding in the canal for safety when the bomb landed, and the explosion singed a few of his feathers.

Mousse, of course, was cursed when _he_ hadfallen into the springs of Jusenyko. Shampoo was, too. Both fell into its waters under unfortunate circumstances. But unlike Ryoga's story, Ranma had nothing to do with their unlucky happenstance. When splashed with cold water, Mousse changed into a white feathered duck, and Shampoo, a grayish cat. And Ranma really hated cats, which was ironic seeing how Shampoo said she really loved Ranma, and he'd have nothing to do with her.

"We're martial artists, we _act_ , but this time we have to strategize if we are to beat Ranma," Ryoga said.

"I agree. I don't know why some people call you stupid, you're pretty smart, Ryoga."

"Thanks." Then it sunk in. "Wait, _who_ calls me stupid?" Mousse opened his mouth to speak, but then Ryoga quickly put up a hand. Did people really think he was stupid just because he got lost a lot? "Never mind, I think I know…"

And he began to hate Ranma _even_ more than he already did.

* * *

Ranma and Akane returned home, but they had had hardly said a word to one another on the way, other than a few curse words, after their encounter with Ryoga outside the front gates of their school.

Akane was really ticked off at him again for mocking Ryoga. Well, the guy deserved it. What a stupid stunt he tried to pull. Having Gosunkugi mix up a "love potion", so Ryoga could _force_ Akane to love him?

In one way, he laughed at the thought. In another way, he was glad it didn't work. But, he would never admit that to Akane.

There had been situations where love potions or other love _stuff_ happened, and with horrible results. Luckily, in this instance, all that was avoided. Was it luck, or just plain stupidity on Ryoga's part? Ryoga was a gullible, stupid idiot, that didn't know a thing about getting a girl. He'd rather "steal" one.

Oh, he knew that Ryoga had deep feelings for Akane. But not on his worse day would he allow Ryoga win over her. Akane was _his_ girl, _his_ bride-to-be.

He mentally gasped. _What the hell am I saying?_

He _was_ Akane's fiancé; he had a _right_ to be overly-protective of her, but that's because she _needed it_. Ryoga was mentally unstable. Kuno, was another nutcase. Akane _needed_ him to protect her. That was all, there was nothing more. _Nothing_.

They entered the front door of the Tendo household, and immediately, Akane said, "God, you're such a jerk, Ranma!"

" _Now_ what did I do?" he said back.

"You keep picking on Ryoga!"

"The guy's a loser, he deserves it. Besides, trying to use a _love potion_ to get a girl – how dumb it that?"

"Maybe Ryoga's lonely and needs someone?" Akane reasoned. "He wanders around a lot."

"What about that girl he once mentioned, Akeri, I think her name was? The one he met in the country. She likes him. Maybe the love potion Gosunkugi mixed was actually for _her_? Nah, she's a country-hick. Not Ryoga's type. He likes city girls." He smirked at Akane.

"Maybe I shoulda let Ryoga hit you," Akane said. "Maybe it would've done you alotta good."

Ranma laughed. "I've taken everything the guy can dish out and I'm still standing. Nothing he does can beat me, but the guy's too stupid to realize it."

"Maybe one day he _will_ beat you down."

"When _P-Chan's_ fly."

"Just stop bullying him! You know how sensitive he is."

"The guy needs to grow a spine."

They eye-balled each other, and a momentary silence hit the vestibule, and an aura of anger also filled the room. Suddenly the aura was lightened when Soun Tendo entered. He walked in with a nonchalant, casual stroll, but quickly stopped when he saw them. He was a pretty laid back father, Ranma knew, but he could be "persuasive", and even downright vengeful, when the moment called for it. "Hey now, I heard arguing. What's going on?"

"She started it, Mr. Tendo," Ranma said.

"Did not," Akane retorted. "Ranma was bulling Ryoga again and I told him to stop!"

"Ryoga tried one of his stupid schemes again and I called him on it."

Soun looked confused. "A little history would be nice here," he said. "What did he do this time?"

So Akane explained everything as best she could from her perspective and Ranma filled in certain gaps, but the true reason for Ryoga asking for the love potion and who it may have been for was negated, even though Ranma knew the answer. And he pretty much knew Soun Tendo knew as well.

He didn't want Akane to reject Ryoga, and make things worse for the guy if Ryoga's true feelings were revealed. But Akane could be a little dense, sometimes. It had been painfully obvious to everyone _else_ whom Ryoga loved more than life itself.

Besides, every time things got worse, Ranma was always the guy who either was hit the hardest, either with a challenge that got him severely bruised, or he got hit by Akane. And marks from her punches would sometimes last for days.

So he couldn't win either way. And even though they were rivals, he didn't want Ryoga's feelings to be hurt badly. He was a friend, nonetheless.

"A love potion? Well, did it work?" Soun asked, smirking.

"Not if Ranma is the reciperant of his love," Akane said. "But then, who _would_ love Ranma?" And she stormed away and upstairs to her room, slamming the door.

Ranma grimaced from the sound of her door hitting the wall, he looked upstairs. "She's really mad, this time. And hey, who wouldn't love _me_?" He looked back at Soun Tendo, who was glaring at him with an icy stare. Ranma swallowed nervously.

"Better apologize, boy. I don't like seeing my little girl with hurt feelings."

"But it wasn't me, Mr. Tendo," Ranma said. "It's all…Ryoga's _fault_!"

"Why do you two argue all the time? Why can't you two just be a _normal_ couple?"

"Define 'normal couple', Mr. Tendo? I'm not exactly _normal_ with this curse. Nor is Pop."

"The curse Akane has accepted, it's _you_ that keep pushing her."

"Pushing?" But he knew what Soun Tendo meant. He wasn't the "so-in-law" Soun Tendo wanted him to be, the "son-in-law" that cared for Akane, instead of calling her a Tomboy all the time - the loving, nurturing, boyfriend-type.

He huffed angrily. He wasn't to blame for this new argument.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, Ryoga! I'll get you back for this, I swear! You're nothing but trouble!_

_To be continued…_

 


	5. Blackmail

Ranma slammed the door to his room with such force that the wall bounced and the hinges buckled, but they held. He could exude even _more_ force, but he didn't want to damage anything that he would have to pay for. Slamming the door was enough to state his point of being extremely, _extremely_ , ticked off!

Not only with Ryoga, but with Akane, too!

It seemed no matter what he did or said he never did anything right in Akane's eyes. Did Akane hate him so much that she _had_ to start a fight with him almost on a daily basis, or was it an instant reaction to him in general, a deep down bitterness to their parents forced engagement? Was she really that vain and proud that she didn't want to be _forced_ against her will to marry him even by her own father?

That made two of them. He didn't want to get married either, especially to a tomboy girl. It didn't escape his ear. He heard the rumors that students were saying about him about Akane – that because he didn't show her the "normal" affection to Akane, that he didn't like girls, or something of the sort. But he wasn't like _that_. Ukyo, Shampoo, Kodachi, and others, all favored him, but he would have nothing to do with either of them.

Did that make him…No, he _had_ to find a cure to his curse, then he'd start a relationship, or that's what _he_ wanted. Deep down he was he embarrassed by his curse; he felt less like a man because he changed into a girl when doused with cold water. Shampoo and Ukyo were okay with it, so was Akane – so then why wasn't he? He had three girls who were interested in him even though they knew about his curse, and yet, he still showed no interest in them.

Shampoo and Ukyo were cuter than Akane, but he had a protective instinct towards Akane unlike the others. Of course, he spent more time with her, she was the "weaker" of the bunch, in his opinion, and she was a lousy cook, too.

But there was… _something_ …he couldn't put his finger on that kept him _here_ with her. Basically other than living under the same roof, they realistically, had nothing in common.

Someday Akane's father wanted him to take over the Tendo Dojo as his son-in-law, but he didn't know if he wanted it. Did he really want to run a dojo for the rest of his life, especially not a very successful one? Advertising would help, but who would teach the students – _him_?

But he was far from master stasis.

Then there was Ryoga to deal with. That stupid idiot! The fool would not take a hint that he had absolutely no chance with Akane. She had had already said she only liked him as a friend, but the word "like" was sometimes under-used by people who didn't know the true meaning of the word. And besides, Akane was too dense to see Ryoga's advances towards her. Which was good, because a three-way love triangle would be yet another complication he didn't need, and for a sixteen year old teen, he already had had enough problems to deal with.

Dropping his bag on the floor, he sat cross-legged and folded his arms across his chest, and pouted. He was frustrated more than angry. How the hell did he keep getting into these types of situations anyway? It was like he was a character in some foolish story and the author had it in for him, putting him into harsh or sometimes satire situations for the audience, like some Shakespearean sonant.

Life's a stage and we are but players. Some old playwright wrote that he recalled from a history lesson, and it was true, and it was enough to put a lull on his frustration. It got him thinking, too, of just how proud and selfish he was. Anger had a way of bringing out the truth. And in his anger, did he just figure out the secret to an age old question?

_You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you'll get what you need._ That was also a line in some old song, too.

He suddenly heard a rapping at his bedroom door, but he didn't want to be disturbed.

"Go away!" However, despite slamming the door he hadn't lock it, and Nabiki walked it. In her hand was a small paper plate with a piece of vanilla cake, half eaten, and a fork.

"Did you forget something today, Ranma?" she said. "In you haste to have yet another door slamming contest with Akane?"

He gasped. "Kasumi's birthday!" he said.

Nabiki nodded. "We're celebrating it as a family. We all agreed, right after school today. But you two just stormed upstairs without even saying hello to the rest of us. I suggest you get your butt downstairs and be _nice_ –for Kasumi's sake!"

Her last words sounded firm like an order. Nabiki had a way like her father, Soun Tendo, and she could be just as scary when she was determined to make others do things.

"Not in the mood," he said, standing firm.

"Not in the mood?" Nabiki sneered. "Well _I am_ in a generous mood today. Kuno's been wanting new some photos of the pigtail girl. And I have some. Some dressed, and some… _not so dressed_ , if you get my meaning. It's amazing what you can do with pictures these days, altering them anyway you want."

"You wouldn't dare! That's blackmail!"

"Of course it's blackmail, Ranma. And it _always_ works with you."

"I hate you," he said with narrowed eyes, but not vehemently.

"Of course you do," Nabiki merely smiled. "Now get your butt downstairs!"

Ranma stood up. "I swear, Nabiki, one day I'll –"

"You'll do what? As long as you're cursed," she chuckled, "I have you by your... _pigtail_."

_To be continued..._

 


	6. The New And Improved Breaking Point Technique

_Stealth Duck_.

That's what Mousse as a duck was calling himself at the moment as he moved with _quiet efficiency_ across the Tendo property in the dead of night.

He had scouted the Tendo residence hours before. And there had been a party for the oldest daughter, Kasumi Tendo. It was her birthday. Now the house was quiet, and dark. Everyone had gone to sleep.

He had had a plan. Well, _he_ and Ryoga had a plan, spending all yesterday concocting it. He had slight reservations about it, and so did Ryoga, but ultimately the ends justified the means. And no one would get hurt. Well, other than Ranma. The whole plan was to strike Ranma at his most vulnerable spot, and for that, they needed to take Akane Tendo as a hostage.

Ryoga had been reluctant in making Akane "the hostage" to draw Ranma to them, but it was necessary. They needed someone Ranma "cared" about and who better than his fiancée? Once captured, Akane would become the instrument of Ranma's destruction!

The house was quiet and Mousse smiled to himself, his beak curling devilishly. He hopped on the open back porch and quickly looked around. No one was about. And strangely enough, not even Ryoga. Ryoga was supposed to meet him here and at this time.

_Where are you_? If he called out to Ryoga, his quacking would alert the household. So he remained quiet and stayed for a minute. But his partner in crime never arrived.

He hopped back into the backyard and then flapped his wings, flying into the air, and landed on the window sill of Akane Tendo's bedroom. He looked around and saw P-Chan in bed with Akane. Had the guy forgotten about their plan? _Fool_ , Mousse mentally cursed.

The window was unlocked, and he quietly opened the window panel and slipped into the room, hopping onto Akane's school desk under the window, and then onto the floor, making sure to be as quiet as humanly possible. He looked up at the bed, P-Chan's eyes were closed.

_Moron, why is he sleeping now?_

Reaching out, he brushed a feather across P-Chan's nose. The pig sneezed, but he was _awake_. He made a silent shake of the head indicating something was wrong. Mousse lightly hoped up onto the bed, making sure Akane was still sleep and saw that Akane was "hugging" P-Chan in her arms like a vice of sorts, and P-Chan was trapped within.

Mousse had heard stories about Akane's "fits" in bed and P-Chan's narrowed escapes from suffocation and certain doom. Akane was a roller in bed, tossing and turning. P-Chan wasn't a stuffed toy, but in Akane's sleep, she made P-Chan feel like one. She must have fallen asleep with him in her arms.

But P-Chan couldn't escape. Hence he couldn't meet Mousse on the back porch to implement their plan. He had to do something, to "save" his partner in crime so they could implement their plan of taking Akane hostage. Akane Tendo _was_ their target, after all. Unfortunately at the moment, inadvertently, the kidnapper had become the kidnappee, Akane incapacitating P-Chan to the point of him being utterly trapped. Was the plan foiled just that easily?

P-Chan somehow wiggled out from Akane's grip like a master magician, and how many times, Mousse thought, had P-Chan been in this same position to do something so masterfully and swiftly especially with his roundish body.

Akane Tendo rolled around, still asleep, her back to them now, as P-Chan plopped to the floor quietly. Even as a pig, he was as quiet as a ninja.

_Good_ , Mousse thought, now that Ryoga was free they could escape Akane's bedroom, revert back to being human, and then kidnap Akane and force Ranma to come to them, where they'll teach their rival a most value lesson, indeed.

Both made their way to the open window.

As the departed, water came at them and splashed them, drenching them completely. Mousse and Ryoga fell, but then quickly caught the side of the roof and hung there, and utterly exposed. Ranma hung by his legs from the top of the roof, next to Akane's window with a bucket in hand. Mousse had not seen him there before. _Had he been watching him? And from where?_

Ranma smirked. "So, what brings you two here in the dead of night? Mousse, don't you know, you can never escape my sight. I saw you earlier skulking around during Kasumi's party tonight."

"Don't tell him anything!" Mousse said.

Ranma chuckled. "Really? I beg to differ. And I think you have more pressing matters to think about. You see, you two are hanging off the roof…" He let the sentence trail off for a moment, and the obvious dilemma they faced. "And you're facing Akane's window."

"And?" Mousse said.

Ryoga's eyes grew wide when he realized what Ranma was implying, and he looked straight through Akane's window as they hung there utterly naked, totally exposed. If she awoke and saw him like this, he would never be able to face her again.

"You're such a pair of perverts," Ranma said chuckling.

Ryoga immediately dropped to the ground, Mousse dropped next. They then ran underneath the awning of the back porch. Ranma grabbed the roof edge and was about to make his way down, when Akane suddenly appeared at the window. "I thought I heard voices out here," she said angrily, "but it's just you! You PERVERT!"

She through a book at him, but he managed to avoid it. The book hit the ground with a thud.

"Akane, it's not what you think," Ranma said.

But the second book got him, nailing him straight in the centre of the face, and its velocity was enough to knock him half way across the yard and into the pond beyond.

Ranma turned into a girl with a large splash.

He looked back up at Akane and said, "Hey, whad'cha do that fer?" But she slammed the window before any reply was forthcoming. But her anger said volumes.

Ranma snapped his attention to the pair of naked intruders. "I'm gonna kill you for this!" Mousse quickly bolted over the enclosure fence, and after a sly smirk, Ryoga followed him, jumping into the street. "Come back 'ere!" And he followed.

"Get your ass back 'ere!"

Ranma chased the pair down the street. As they ran, Mousse and Ryoga had managed to swipe some clothes from neighboring clotheslines and had donned them, although their choices or perhaps they were the only thing they could get their hands on running at lightning speed was much to be desired.

Mousse and Ryoga had apparently grabbed clothes that were one size too small and they now looked like actors from some cheesy exercise music video from the 80s in their skimpy outfits. Mousse had a tight fitting tank top and mini-shorts, and Ryoga had a pink long sleeve "woman's" shirt with tight, black spandex shorts that reached almost down to his knees. If the situation didn't anger him, Ranma would have laughed.

"Tell me why you were at the Tendo's tonight!" he demanded, running after them, jumping off rooftops when need-be, as the pair did also. Mousse and Ryoga could have split up, but he could only chase one of them. Luckily they hadn't, because he want to ring both their necks.

No answer. So Ranma swung his leg, and in passing, kicked a block of stone that had been sitting one of the rooftops – hitting Mousse in the back. The martial artist went down, fell with a heavy thud to the ground. Ranma met him on the ground and jumped on to him to prevent him from getting up. He grabbed the sides of Mousse's stolen shirt.

Without having to ask again, Mousse's cowardice broke through. "It was all Ryoga's plan! I swear!"

" _What_ was all Ryoga's plan?!" he demanded. Ranma looked up. Ryoga stood on a near-by rooftop looking down, breathing heavy after running so long and fast. "Damn you, Ryoga! What the hell are you up to now?"

"We…had…something in…mind, something else…" Ryoga cleared his throat, calmed his breathing down. Then he smiled with a sinister grin. "But this is good enough. At least this way, Akane won't get hurt."

"What do you mean, 'Akane won't get hurt'?"

"I was gonna use Akane to draw you to us, but this is better. You're so stupid, you fell for it!"

Mousse grinned as Ranma looked down and punched Ranma in the face, forcing Ranma off him. Mousse back somersaulted to his feet, adjusted his spectacles, and found a two-by-four piece of wood lying against a near fence, twirled it about as if the weight and density were feather-light, like some sort of staff, and prepared to attack with it.

Ranma backed-off, readied himself. But Ryoga pounced off the roof directly onto Ranma, his right hand focused into some sort of mandible claw, but then formed into a _two-finger_ mandible claw, into a two-finger _Bucsi-tengets_ or Breaking Point!

Ryoga pressed, his fingers striking the ground where Ranma was momentarily, Ranma jumping back at the last moment. Debris from the stone street flew in every direction, and into Ryoga's only face and body. But as it was _his_ technique and it didn't appear to affect him. In his training of the technique, Ryoga learned to grow a tougher skin, so small stuff like that wouldn't hurt him.

Ranma had beaten Ryoga's Breaking Point, using his own strength against him – Ranma's _Chestnuts Roasting over an Open Fire_ technique saw to that. All he did was continuously strike Ryoga in one part of his body to take him down. It was the Breaking Point's ultimate weakness. But Ryoga knew this. Then what on earth compelled him to use such a weak technique again?

But it occurred to him. Ryoga was using two fingers, whereas one finger was all that was needed for ultimate impact.

Suddenly, as his focus was on Ryoga, a second attack came to his right.

" _Fist of the White Swan!_ " Mousse shouted.

In conjunction with the two-by-four, Mousse used every ounce of garbage he could find that was lyuing in the area as a weapon, and pelted each Ranma at it - cans, rocks, and even a small child's port-a-potty – every assortment of trash. Normally Mousse would hide his assortment of tricks inside his long, white robe to attack. But with his skimpy, borrowed clothes, every attack was seen clearly. And it was still hard to dodge. But it was not impossible, especially for Ranma.

"What the hell, guys!"

Ranma dodged both his rivals and finally leapt onto a roof of a house to get distance. The street looked like a disaster area after both their attacks - it looked like an explosion had gone off with Ryoga's Breaking Point and all the trash Mousse was throwing around. "Whadd'I do to piss you off now?"

"You know all too well, Ranma!" Ryoga was the first to answer.

"You still mad about how I embarrassed you at school?" Ranma dodged a large stone thrown at him from Mousse, then an attack by Ryoga - his Breaking Point destroying part of a roof, shingles exploding everywhere, and then toppled to the ground in shattering clangs. "Get over it, man! You'll never beat me, even on your best day! Are you two teaming-up, again? Remember how that ended last time?"

"This time'll be different!" Mousse retorted, jumping onto the now shingle-stripped roof. "You'll pay for your transgressions against my sweet Shampoo! You…you…you…two-timing _hustler_!"

"Who's a two-timing hustler? Hey man, I want nothing to do with that crazy Amazon chick."

"How dare you call Shampoo a _chick_! She's a beautiful woman, a woman someday I'll marry!"

"Dream-on, pal, she's already told you she aint interested in you. Give it up!"

"Never! I'll never give _her_ up!"

"'Kay, so basically you two are out for revenge against my so-called flirtatious manly charm, right? Hey, I can't help it if the girls think I'm sexy." Ranma grinned with confidence. He turned to Ryoga and said, "What's with the old technique, I can beat the Breaking Point, remember?"

Ryoga held up two-fingers. "I've improved it. In fact, unlike the Breaking Point merely destroying inanimate objects, I found out it _can_ be used to kill, by using the pressure points of the human body. I can explode every cell of your body with the new and improved Breaking Point."

"Yeah, right," Ranma said, but a hint of doubt was in his voice. "And who the hell taught you that?"

"A disgruntled monk on one of my journeys taught me how to modify it. I've never used it on anyone, but in theory, the moment I touch your skin your cells will rupture like an exploding volcano."

"Um, Ryoga," Mousse began to say. He looked worried. "We never agreed to kill Ranma, just teach him a lesson."

"Yes, and this'll be a lesson he'll never forget." Ryoga grinned like a sadistic devil. "In fact, I'll be his very last to date. No one embarrasses me like that! This'll be my revenge!"

"See, you get tangled with an unstable guy like Ryoga, you get more than you bargain for." Ranma readied himself into a defensive posture. "But I'm ready for ya man. Bring your worse."

Ryoga crackled his two-fingers for flexibility. "With pleasure, time to die! And 'm gonna make you scream for mercy, as I destroy every cell in your body with my new technique!"

_To be continued…_

 


	7. Consequences

Ryoga charged like a mad man on a mission with his two fingers out-stretched and poised to kill. Ranma knew Ryoga was the unstable-type, and if he was foolish enough to actually use a new "Bakusai Tenketsau" or Breaking Point technique he was taught by a monk to kill him, then Ranma needed to take him seriously. But Ranma wasn't ready to die. Well, not yet. And definitely not at the hands of his greatest rival and in a moment of one of many bouts of psychopathic behaviour. But he had think of something quickly to defeat Ryoga, and something surprisingly quick, too.

He had two options open to him: Fight, or run away. But he had never run away from a fight, so he decide to stay. Well, there was that one time he did run away from Ryoga when he first encountered the Breaking Point, but he wasn't prepared for a repeat performance. And there was only one thing he could think of to stop Ryoga's attack, and it was gruesome. Would be willing to break Ryoga's fingers to stop him? If it at to be done, then it would have to be done—to stop this maniac from committing murder.

Suddenly he had a thought, and a plan forged in his mind that put his gruesome thought of breaking Ryoga's fingers on the back burner. He'd use Ryoga's ultimate weakness against him and stop this fool in his trait. In all the years he'd known Ryoga, the guy never faltered here.

Ranma put out a hand, and for all intended purposes, it was the lamest thing to do, but it remarkably stopped Ryoga in his tracks, but Ryoga's fingers still poised to attack. He was like a statue. Ryoga's eyes blinked shocked from the brazen maneuverer, but it was enough to stop the fool's attack momentarily. And then Ranma did something he never thought he'd ever do — it was even somewhat out of character for him, even being a martial artist — but if staying in a house of girls taught him anything, and with Akane, even unintentionally, it taught him restraint and diplomacy was sometimes better than fighting…

"You and I have known each other for a long time, right?" he said. Ryoga nodded, frozen in place. "And we've fought each other countless times, right?"

"What's your point?" Ryoga retorted, and relaxed his offensive for the moment. _Wow, he fell for it._ Apparently talking had thrown a monkey-wretch into Ryoga's offensive.

Ranma smirked. His plan at worked. "Oh, nothin'. Just wondering if you'd fall for one of the oldest tricks in the book—and you did." Ranma took hold of Ryoga's out-stretched arm (didn't break his fingers) and whipped him over his shoulder like a sack of rice, and threw his rival into Mousse behind him. They crashed like bowling pins and tumbled backwards.

"Ow! That hurt, Ranma!" Mousse complained, sat up, and rubbed his head. "What the hell?"

"Partners in crime share the punishment," Ranma replied. "Another team-up was so lame."

Ryoga sat up, and held his right shoulder, the same Ranma had taken hold of and used to throw him, and he cringed in pain. It fell limp at his side. He couldn't move it, and when he tried an agonizing surge of pain enveloped his entire body.

The fight was over.

"You cheater!" Ryoga shouted. "I think you broke my arm!"

"Serves you right, Ryoga. I used your own weakness against you. That is a key tenet to every martial artist. You are your own enemy. I knew you could easily be distracted, you're so predictable. I used that to my advantage. Funny you would stop at the sight of a hand."

"Your arm's broken?" Mousse questioned, looking at it.

"I think so," Ryoga said, gently holding it, "or the joint is out of the socket. Either way, I'm done. I stopped because the move was so…sudden."

"I could've easily broken your fingers, man, and I seriously thought about it. But I found another way. And it even surprised me. I admit, I still have my doubts you're telling the truth about a technique that can kill. You're dangerous, man! Even to yourself."

"I wasn't bluffing, Ranma. My new Breaking Point technique is deadly, and it can kill a man."

"Have you ever tried it on anyone?"

"Well, no…"

"So, I was going to be your Guinea pig? And what if you'd killed me, huh? Akane would hate you forever. Did you even think of that?"

Ryoga's eyes bulged.

"That's what I thought." Ranma went over held out a hand as a gesture of aid and friendship. Ryoga looked at it surprised. "C'mon, we'll take you to Dr. Tofu to take a look at that arm."

* * *

"So, what do you think, Doc?" Ranma asked. Dr. Tofu had finished examining Ryoga, but the doctor didn't seem it looked all that serious. They had awoken him in the middle of the night when they arrived at his clinic, but he agreed to help them despite the late hour. All four of them were in the examination room at the rear of the clinic, and Ranma had explained things.

"Luckily it's not broken," Dr. Tofu said, "but your arm is dislocated. You did this, Ranma?"

"Yup, after stupid here attacked me, and tried to kill me with some dumb new technique."

"A new and improved Breaking Point technique, Ryoga says," Mousse added. "Shampoo's great grandmother taught Ryoga the original technique, but it's only for breaking rocks in quarry's, not for killing people. With a variation, he said he's learned to kill someone with it."

"I swear, the monk I meet told me by using two fingers instead of just one, it can be used to kill anybody if you strike a certain pressure point of the human body," Ryoga explained.

"And you planned to use this new and deadly technique to kill Ranma?" Dr. Tofu questioned.

Ryoga's eyes looked downcast. "I did originally, but not anymore. But Ranma makes me so mad sometimes that I can't think straight. He's always teasing me."

"He teases me, too!" Mousse put in. "He's a womanizer, too!"

"You're old enough to be above childish mockery…all of you." Tofu looked at Ryoga, Ranma and Mousse, in turn, in a chastised manner. And each looked embarrassed.

"I'm not a womanizer," Ranma then said. "I can't help it if girls flaunt themselves at me."

"What do you mean 'flaunt themselves' at you?" Tofu asked.

"You know, the unstable, obsessive, 'date me or marry me' kinda-type," Ranma said. "I won't deny it, I'm a handsome guy. But too much attention is still too much attention."

"And what about Akane? You two are engaged to me married."

"Compared to all the others — like Shampoo and Kodachi Kuno — she's normal. High spirited and over-tempered, but normal. If you call the tomboy-type normal."

"If you don't want to be with her, then leave her," Ryoga said, "I love Akane, I have ever since at first sight and when she kissed me. She doesn't deserve an idiot like you! I'll look after her."

" _You_? You can't find your way out of a bathroom without a map little lone to Akane's heart. And she kissed you when you were P-Chan, an animal. That don't count. She's my fiancee, and _I'll_ take care of her."

Ranma gasped, and clamped a hand to his mouth. "Oh my God, why did I just say that?"

Tofu smiled. "Admit it, Ranma. You care for Akane more than you know. Just because your parents agreed to an engagement, she's grown on you."

Ranma's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. then he swing his chair around and crossed his arms in defiance. "I ain't admitting to nothin'!" But then he saw his face in a mirror on the far wall, and wondered if it were true. Had he developed feelings for Akane in the time he had spendt at the Tendo residence despite their engagement was forced upon them?

"Okay Ryoga, let's see to this arm," Tofu said. "I need to put the shoulder joint back into the socket, and this is going to hurt a lot."

Ranma turned back around, and he felt sorry that he had hurt his stupid friend. But he didn't have a choice, he had to stop the fool before he did something he'd regret.

"I can take it, doctor," Ryoga said. "You can proceed any time." Ryoga eyed Ranma harshly. "I already have a broken heart, I can take anything. Pain no longer means anything to me."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "You're always so dramatic, Ryoga."

"I'll count to three, okay?" Dr Tofu said. Ryoga agreed. "One…two… _three_!"

Tofu pushed the shoulder joint back into the socket.

And Ryoga screamed.

_To be continued…_

 


	8. Karma

With Ryoga's left shoulder in a sling, the trio of Ryoga, Ranma and Mousse, trekked back to the Tendo Residence, albeit quietly in the middle of the night. They discussed things as they went along, resolving some disputes and others' agreeing to disagree.

All of them were stubborn in their ways and refused to admit weakness in front of the others. Ryoga was the more reserve of the three. The pain medicine Dr. Tofu gave him for his arm was beginning to take effect, but it wasn't enough to make him sleepy. Besides, he was more interested in Ranma's "admission" of his feelings for Akane, and that _he_ would take care of her, Ranma had said, stating Ryoga had no chance. That was obviously a challenge, and Ryoga accepted it, and vowed that he would never relent to win over Akane. Ranma laughed at that, but Ryoga was completely serious.

As they walked, Ranma found it ironic that the three of them were talking about girls. At this age, it was the most important topic for guys — _who do you like?_ _who to ask out?_ _will she like me?_ _will she reject me?_ _does my hair look okay? what clothes should I wear?_ stuff like that. But it was complicated for this trio and their relationship triangles.

Ranma's engagement to Akane trumped all, but to Ryoga and _his_ love for Akane, that trumped all, but to Mousse, his _desire_ for Shampoo and to marry _her_ trumped all — despite Shampoo being Ranma's fiancee because he bested her in a fight and it was Amazon Law to marry the man who defeated her. They agreed to disagree of what was most important to each of them.

Then there was Ukyo Kuonji, another would-be fiancee to Ranma, who was also promised to him at a young age (and he accepted unknowingly, agreeing to anything for food) by her late father, giving Ranma's father their family Okonomiyaki food cart away as a dowry. But like in Genma Saotome fashion, he stole the cart and abandoned Ukyo.

Ranma repeatedly said he couldn't be blamed for the faults of his father, but in this case, it just created another fiancee problem that couldn't be dealt with in normal means. Ukyo was now a student at Furinken High School, the same school Ranma and Akane attended. Ranma thought of Ukyo more like a friend, a pal, from his youth, because she always acted like a boy. But despite her "tomboyish" mannerisms, Ukyo was a woman, and she remained in Nerima, close by Ranma, and now had her own successful Okonomiyaki restaurant that Ranma frequented.

Then there was Kodachi Kuno's unhealthy attraction to Ranma and her unrelenting quest to make him her own by either drugging him to sway him to her whims or by any other devious way she could to win his heart. But Ranma would have nothing to do with the Black Rose. While he admitted she had a certain amount of sexual appeal, she was too emotionally unstable.

That went double for her high-strung, wordy brother Tatawaki Kuno, whose lust for the "pig-tail girl", who was Ranma in female form, bordered on the psychopathic. But Kuno seemingly was blind to separate the two, despite almost everyone else could. Love is blind, Ranma supposed.

Lastly, not to mention that each one of them had a Chinese curse that made living a normal life difficult. When splashed with cold water, Ranma turned into a buxom girl with red hair, Ryoga turned into a little black piglet (who was Akane's pet), and Mousse, turned into a white swan (and lived and worked at the Cat Cafe, with Shampoo). With hot water, they change back.

Was it fate or sheer bad luck that Ranma was the centre of all their problems?

When they got to the Tendo Residence, they all sat down on the back porch veranda. It was the middle of the night and the sky was clear. The moon was shining bright in the sky and illuminated the backyard and the pond. It was calm, and after the last couple of hours, it was good to have some downtime. And Ryoga was just content to sit and think for a while.

"I'd invite you guys in, but everyone's sleeping," Ranma said, "and Akane isn't too happy with me at the moment, thinking I'm some sort of pervert when I saved your butts earlier."

Ryoga and Mousse recalled that.

They had been naked at the time and had been hanging down, facing Akane's window after escaping and rethinking their idea of kidnapping her to draw out Ranma. Ranma had splashed them, reverting the pair from their animal counterparts to their human selves. To prevent from crashing to the ground, the pair grabbed onto the gutters. Akane was sleeping in her bed, but Ranma had then pointed out, if Akane woke up, she would see them both bare and all. So they jumped down. Unfortunately, the noise awoke Akane, and Ranma was seen at her window, and she accused him of being a peeping tom. That's why she was angry with him. Then the trio went somewhere and fought, and Ranma learned Ryoga and Mousse had teamed-up again.

"We'll settle things in the morning," Ranma said. "But I'm used to getting yelled at."

"Used to it? How many times have you peered in Akane Tendo's window, Ranma?" Mousse asked accusatory-like.

Ryoga's eye's widened with intrigue. "Yes, Ranma…How _many_ times have you looked at her through her bedroom window that you're _used to it_?" his voice raised. "Have you seen her naked?"

Ranma clamped a hand over Ryoga's mouth. "Keep your voice down. And you're taking my words out of context; it's nothing like that. We don't have that kind of relationship."

Ryoga said something in Ranma's hand, but it was muffled.

Ranma removed his hand, but told Ryoga to be quiet. "Don't lie to me, Ranma," Ryoga whispered. "Do you really think I'm stupid? You two are engaged by your parents. Most guys our age are…well…we think about things…and girls…and stuff like that." He blushed embarrassed by the mere thought.

Ranma rolled his eyes. "To set he record straight, I told you our relationship is nothing like that. All this was our parents idea. I have to get rid of this damn curse before I think of any of that."

"We may never be rid of our curses, Ranma," Mousse said. "Have you thought of that? Our curses may be permanent, even with the spring of Drowned Man back in Jusenkyo. We may never again enjoy a summer rain storm or swim in the cool waters of the ocean."

All three sighed.

"Tell me something, Ryoga," Ranma said, and turned to him. "That monk who told you the Breaking Point can kill. Do you think he was telling you the truth?"

"Monks don't like," Ryoga said.

"I hate to ask, but did he ever demonstrate it? Did _he_ ever kill someone with the BP?"

"He said he had, defensively of course, but he never showed me. He just taught me what to do and where to touch someone with it, to kill them."

"So, he never showed you how?" Mousse asked. "Then how do you know it would've worked?"

"And _why_ would a monk show you how to kill?" Ranma questioned. "They're men of peace. How did you meet him?"

"I encountered the monk on my travels. He said he had been wandering for days without any food or water, crossing deserts and through forests on a pilgrimage, part of his religious training, and we talked for hours one night over a fire. He seemed very interested in my travels and encounters with you, and my troubles. And he told me he had had similar issues through his life. I felt sorry for him and offered him some money I had to help him on his journey. Being a monk, I felt blessed to know him, and it felt good to help him out. Then he told me a secret use of the Breaking Point that has been passed down for generations to only a select few holy men."

Ranma and Mousse looked at each other. Mousse rolled his eyes, and Ranma put a hand to his face and shook his head in utter disbelief. Neither one said what they were thinking though.

Ranma removed his hand. "Okay, Ryoga. Let's test it out."

"I don't want to. It's too dangerous." Ryoga looked at his right hand and its two fore fingers, his left arm in a sling. "I hold the power of life and death in these two fingers," he said.

Ranma took Ryoga's wrist. "Okay, then, just pretend. If you were to strike me with the Breaking Point and kill me, which pressure point would you need to target?"

"The monk said at the back of the neck, at the base of the skull."

"You mean like this?" And Ranma touched the spot at the base of his skull with Ryoga's two fingers, pressing them down.

Ryoga's eyes bulged wide. "Ranma…what the hell…why would you do that?"

Suddenly Ranma began to shake, and he fell to the ground convulsing, spit began to eject from the side of his mouth, and he shook violently.

Ryoga jumped to his feet. "Oh my god—somebody _HELP_! Ranma's dying!" Ryoga yelled.

"Ryoga, you killed him!" Mousse said.

"It wasn't my fault! Ranma touched the back of his skull with my fingers on his own!"

Ranma started to laugh, and then he wiped the spit from his mouth. "Fooled you. Oh man, you really are that gullible, man. First Gosunkugi and that love potion and now this new Breaking Point technique? That monk swindled you, Ryoga."

"Monks don't lie!" Ryoga said.

"Ryoga, think about it," Ranma said, sitting up. "He only told you the use for the BP technique after he told you his sad story similar to yours and only after you gave him some money, earning your trust. He used your good-nature to swindle money from you. Did he tell you he couldn't demonstrate it because there was only the two of you out there that night?"

Ryoga nodded.

"He swindled you, Ryoga."

"But…" Ryoga started. "Oh my God, that lying monk took my money!"

"He probably wasn't even a monk at all," Mousse suggested.

"I bet he wasn't, in fact, I know he wasn't," Ranma said.

"And how could you possibly know that?" Ryoga demanded.

"I watch TV. And there was a story on the news recently about a trickster who has been going around asking for money and telling people what they want to hear, telling them _his_ sad sorry, too, sad stories. He prays on people's good-nature and vulnerabilities. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Copycat Ken." Ranma laughed more heartedly now. "Oh man, you are so stupid, Ryoga."

Suddenly, the sound of a window slammed open above them. Ranma looked up and saw Akane at her bedroom window holding something in her hand. He immediately stopped laughing, and his eyes widened. "Oh crap, Akane wait…" It was thrown down so fast and furious at him that he had no chance to flee. The dumbbell stuck him in the chest and launched him into the pond. A few seconds passed, and he floated to the surface upright but unconscious as a girl. He moaned.

"People are trying to sleep, you know! Who else is down there?" Akane demanded.

Ryoga and Mousse slipped under the porch veranda out of sight. Akane had a temper, and Ranma was right, she was still very much mad at him for earlier. When she didn't see anyone else, she slammed her bedroom window shut.

Both Ryoga and Mousse looked at Ranma.

"Boy, Akane Tendo is mean," Mousse said. "I don't know what you see in her, Ryoga?"

Ryoga peered out from the back porch veranda and looked up at Akane's bedroom. "Sometimes, neither do I," he said, "even when I'm P-Chan. But my heart belongs to Akane, and it forever will."

"Should we fish Ranma out of the water?"

"And get ourselves wet? Leave him. He's fine."

Ryoga then smirked.

After everything that had happened recently, it looked like he got his revenge on Ranma after all. Karma always had a way of coming back and striking at those who mock others, he knew. Ranma mocked and laughed at him for getting swindled by Gosunkugi and that lying monk. While he felt bad that he was gullible at times, and it was a lesson he won't soon forget, no one had the right to mock another for their failings. It just wasn't right.

Now Ryoga had the last laugh and his revenge was complete.

**END**

 


End file.
